1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of soldering devices in general, and in particular to a heated pair of pliers that are adapted to facilitate the soldering of abutted ends of two lengths of wire.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,339,059; 4,046,148; 5,309,640; 5,472,654; and 5,783,800, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse tools that employ one or more heated jaw members designed to heat, cauterize, or singe different items.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical soldering pliers construction that will grasp and retain the ends of two lengths of wire that are to be joined together by soldering. The molten solder can be introduced through one of the plier jaw members.
As most individuals who have hands on experience with joining lengths of wire by soldering are all too well aware, this is a time consuming process due to the requirement that the ends of the wire must be maintained in an abutting relationship as the molten solder is applied to the juncture of the wires.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved soldering pliers construction which can be used to position and align the abutting ends of two lengths of wire. The wires are heated by a heating element connected to one plier jaw while the other wire jaw is adapted to receive a length of solder, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the soldering pliers construction that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a pair of handle units that are pivotally connected to one another wherein the outboard end of each of the handle members are provided with a jaw unit wherein one jaw unit comprises a heat source and the other jaw unit comprises a heat sink.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, each of the jaw units comprise an anvil member having a plurality of different sized grooves that are dimensioned to receive different sized wires that are to be joined together by a soldered joint.
In addition, one of the anvil members has a heating element contained therein such that this particular jaw unit comprises a heat source whereas the other anvil member is unheated and therefore comprises a heat sink.
Furthermore, the unheated anvil member is provided with a bifurcated connection between the unheated jaw unit and its related handle unit. The space between the bifurcated connection on the unheated anvil member is provided to accommodate a pair of apertures which are in open communication with the grooves in the anvil member and dimensioned to receive a stick of solder material whose lower end will be melted upon contact with the abutted ends of the lengths of wire that are to be joined together by the molten solder material.
This invention also contemplates the provision of a hinged stand unit which will maintain the soldering pliers construction in a safe position wherein the heated jaw unit should not come into contact with a flammable or meltable surface under normal usage.